Amphiphilic Polymer Assisted Hot Water Flooding Towards Viscous Oil Mobilization

Heavy oil recovery is the most challenging part for the petroleum industry, and several techniques including steam and water injection are currently used that are either energy intensive, expensive, or less efficient. This study aims to evaluate a novel amphiphilic viscosity reducing polymer (DN-1) used along with hot water flooding for promoting viscous oil mobilization. Its performance for heavy oil mobilization was evaluated using viscosity measurements at different temperatures followed by core flooding experiments. Our results indicate that DN-1 at low concentrations could form 3D networks and stable aggregates. DN-1 featured good interfacial properties including low CMC, low IFT, and small contact angle. Even at low concentration it could form dynamic oil in water emulsions, thereby causing easy emulsification and fast demulsification. The injection pressure of DN-1 was much smaller than that of the conventional polymers or associative polymers used for heavy oil development and is beneficial for oi...